Mullappally says tie-up with Welfare Party harmed UDF

Mullappally Ramachandran
Mullappally Ramachandran

Thiruvananthapuram: KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran has said that the alliance with the Welfare Party for the local body elections has harmed the United Democratic Front politically.

The alliance will not be continued for the Assembly elections, Mullappally said in an interview with Manorama Online.

Mullappally criticised UDF convener MM Hassan for going for talks with Jamaat-e-Islami leaders. “The Congress is a secular party. Talks can be held with leaders of religious organisations. However, it is dangerous if you indulge in it with much fanfare ahead of assembly elections. It is suicidal,” he said. “The association with the Welfare Party turned a large section of the Muslim community against the UDF. It also alienated Christian and majority communities.”

In 90 per cent of the seats in the local body elections, the Congress was defeated by group rivalry. The rebels raised their heads when unqualified candidates came to contest. It is not for the KPCC president to go to the booths and wards to solve such problems. Wherever the leadership exercised carefulness and objectivity, there was victory. The moves by CPM-BJP also backfired, he said.

Asked if there was a move being planned by targeting the KPCC president's chair, he replied, “No one needs to make any move with an eye on this chair.”

“Had there been no misunderstanding between me and the leader (K Karunakaran), I would have been here in the 1980s itself. I just had to meet the leader, but I did not even after Indiraji told me to. It must have been because of my idiocy,” Mullappally said.

Jose K Mani issue

Mullappally pointed out the flaws in dealing with the Jose K Mani matter.

“When a constituent party is asked to leave, or if it leaves on its own, then people must be made aware of the reasons,” he said.

“If a person decides on his own to leave, then let him go. But do not create the impression that the doors are closed for him. KM Mani was a great force even though he is not with us now. He cannot be completely dismissed or erased. We should have taken a stand carefully,” Mullappally said.

The Kerala Congress faction led by Jose K Mani joined the LDF after they were expelled from the UDF. The faction made huge gains in the local body polls against the calculations of the UDF leadership.

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